Two Are Better Than One
by CelticX
Summary: Liley. Lilly has a problem. Actually she has more than one, not the least of which is the fact that she's in love with her best friend Miley. Robbie would like to help, but isn't quite sure what he can do. And with Miley now dating the cheating Jake, life could definitely be better for Lilly/Lola. My first foray into the HM universe. Your comments would be greatly appreciated.
1. Chapter 1

Lola felt her stomach lurch and she forcefully swallowed the acidic tasting bile that she felt rising in her throat as she watched Hannah kiss her on-again/off-again boyfriend Jake Ryan under the stage's bright lights. Since it was for a Valentine's Day Special on the Disney Channel the kiss was little more than a chaste peck on the lips, but it still got Lola's blood boiling to the point where she wanted to storm the stage and punch the two-timing scumbag's lights out.

_[Don't even think about it, Lola! This program is Live!]_

"Like I care," she growled to herself in a whisper so soft it was almost inaudible.

_[You'd better care! That's the love of your life that you'd be destroying in front of millions of innocent little kiddies and fans! Think about it. The publicity might actually _help_ Jake, his career is on the downslope of that run anyway, but it could only hurt Hannah!]_

"I know, I know," Lola griped again to herself as she watched the two on stage laughing and holding hands, their fingers entwined. She grabbed hold of the bangs of her short white wig and would have ripped it off in her fury if she hadn't felt a pair of soft, gentle hands holding her back. _[Stop that wench!]_ At least with her hands in front of her eyes she didn't have to watch the girl she loved interact with that asshat. _[So turn away. Don't look at them! Sheesh!]_

"Shut up Truscott. Don't you think I know that!" she mumbled as she turned away from the stage and walked over to the pinrail where she wouldn't be in the way and where she also wouldn't be able to see what was happening on stage. She played with one of the belaying pins that was holding up some huge piece of scenery somewhere in the flyloft above her. "It's not as if you like it any better than I do," she whispered a bit louder now that there wasn't anyone around her to overhear.

_[I know Lola, and I'm sorry. I love her just as much as you do, but destroying her career isn't the way to go about showing that love.]_

"I know, I know. That's about the only thing we've got going for us Lily," Lola smiled sadly. "That and the fact that our personalities are at least a little bit similar, even if you aren't as flamboyant and spontaneous as 'moi'," she chuckled lowly.

_[Oh, believe me,] _the voice inside Lola's head laughed,_ [you don't know how grateful I am that we like each other, even if you are a bit of a show-off.]_

"You just wish you were as famous and outgoing as I am you minx," Lola laughed.

_[We'll have to agree to disagree on that one, wench,]_ Lilly laughed right back at her.

The two girls, Lola Luftnagle and Lilly Truscott, had no need for some quack with a dozen different medical diplomas hanging from their wall to genuflect and blessedly pronounce some grand diagnosis of Dissociative Identity Disorder; otherwise known as Multiple Personality Disorder. They were living the life so why did they need some shrink to tell them what they already knew?

Lilly couldn't pinpoint the exact moment when Lola had been "born," but it could have been as far back as the first time she'd put on a wig and followed Miley to one of her concerts. She did, however, remember vividly the first time Lola had spoken to her.

She'd been sitting on her father's bed, brooding about having overheard Miley complaining about her moving into the Stewart home after her mother had taken a new job and moved to Atlanta. In a world of pain she'd quickly gathered her few belongings and moved out of Miley's room and traveled the one hour by bus to her father's tiny, one room apartment. Her father had been on the phone with a client and had been bouncing back and forth playing the roles of himself and his own assistant when she heard a little voice in her head telling her that everything would be all right. That Miley still loved her.

"How can you say that?" Lilly had sniffled. "You heard her. She hate's me."

_[That's not what she said and you know it. She just said that she wasn't real happy with the living arrangements.]_

"Same difference," Lilly had mumbled to herself petulantly.

_[No it's not,]_ the voice had sighed. _[Let's face it. You're not the easiest person to live with. You can't keep a room clean if your life depended on it, you kick and wiggle around when you sleep until the covers end up on the floor, and don't get me started about that damned hamster.]_

"You leave Mr. Piddles out of this!" Lilly had gasped in indignation and then gasped in shock at the realization that she'd been talking to herself…and getting answers in return!

The voice hadn't said anything else after that and she and Miley had eventually made up when Miley came to the apartment and apologized. But it wasn't the last she'd heard from the girl inside of her who had one day introduced herself as Lola. Lilly had gone through about three months of fearing that she was going insane. She'd done a bunch of internet research on schizophrenia which led her to MPD which led her to DID. The only reason she hadn't gone totally bonkers was because Lola didn't actually seem to be destructive or want to take over and push her out.

She'd finally broken down and gone to see a psychologist so that she could explain what "a friend of hers" was going through along with the various symptoms. The psychologist, a very nice older woman, had listened to her, asked a ton of questions that she could mostly answer and was then told her that her "friend" had partial or intrusive DID wherein the two distinct personalities were aware of and could interact with each other. She went on to ask even more questions to the point where Lola actually started helping to answer; sometimes even contradicting Lilly. The psychologist had laughed at some of "their" antics and had proclaimed that she didn't see any major problems with "her friend" so long as the two of them got along. (Okay, maybe she was a pop psychologist, but she was nice!)

And the two actually did get along pretty well despite a few arguments here and there. Lilly, while both outgoing and impulsive on her own account, couldn't touch Lola for her gregariousness and never-say-never attitude. Lola was everything Lilly was…to the third power. The one thing that they totally agreed on was their love for one Miley Stewart aka Hannah Montana although even here Lola was a bit more honest with herself regarding her feelings. Lilly was still trying to come to grips with the fact that she was in love not only with her best friend, but with another girl. While Lola had completely accepted herself as being lesbian, Lilly was still a touch afraid of her feelings for the brown haired songstress. She had eventually admitted that she was in love with her, but still wasn't quite willing to go so far as to say that any other girls interested her.

"I'm in love with one person and that person just happens to be a girl," Lilly had told Lola one evening when the two had been sitting on the beach talking. The moon had been nearly full and its reflection off the gentle swells had been calming as she sat there digging her toes in the still warm sand. "I don't think I've ever felt the same way about any other girl before. I don't drool over Mikayla or Traci or Siena or Joannie or…"

_[All right, all right, you don't have to list all our female friends and acquaintances!]_ Lola said in an exasperated voice which told Lilly she was rolling her eyes.

"And don't forget Orlando," Lilly laughed.

_[He doesn't count. He's an elf.]_ Lola had giggled. _[Okay, it doesn't matter anyway. We love Miley. That's enough for us. Who cares about labels anyway?]_

That was something else the two of them could agree on along with one last major point: Miley had no clue about how they really felt and never would. They had early on decided to keep that little bit of information to themselves and never to tell the love of their life the truth. Both girls realized that doing so would never bring anything but heartache. Miley was straight and that was all there was to it. Lilly/Lola _might_ be able to keep her childhood friendship alive if she came out of the closet and announced that she was bi- or lesbian. She was _sure_ that she'd lose that friendship if she ever told Miley that she was in love with her.

Lola glanced down the pinrail, being sure to keep her eyes off the stage, to where Mr. S was standing in the wings watching his daughter perform "He Could Be the One." He'd started letting his hair grow out a bit longer recently much to his girlfriend Lori's pleasure. Mr. S must have felt her eyes on him because he turned her way, a concerned look on his face. Lola tried to smile for him but it didn't seem to work very well. He got this look in his eyes that told her he knew very well what she was feeling at that moment and wished there was something he could do for her. That's one of the great and yet horrible things about some parents. They always know, and Robbie Ray had been just as much a father to her over the past few years as her own dad had ever been; if not more so. He hadn't said anything yet, but the looks he'd give her every so often told her more than any words he could ever say. He knew how she felt about his daughter and he hurt along with her every time she got back together with Jake "the Snake" Ryan. She got the impression that he'd much rather Lilly be the one in his daughter's life than that cheating slug.

"Lilly," Lola sighed.

_[Got it,]_ Lilly replied softly and then allowed her own natural smile to grace Lola's ruby red painted lips. Robbie didn't know Lola quite as well as he did Lilly so it sometimes made sense for Lola to let Lilly take over. She didn't know if it worked all the time and wasn't sure this time either as Robbie shook his head sadly and then went back to watching Hannah. _[Are you going to be able to handle the scene after the show or do you want me to handle it?]_ Lilly asked her alter ego.

"I'll handle it," Lola sighed again. "Even if it kills me! Just don't let me kill _him_!" she growled.

_[I'll try,]_ Lilly grinned. _[Maybe!]_

-oo-

Lilly sat at her dressing table in Miley's old bedroom in the Stewart's Malibu home brushing her hair after taking off the white wig Lola had worn for the evening's performance. She'd had the room to herself for almost six months now while Miley continued to sleep in the suite her father had built for the two of them out in the barn. She'd originally moved into that room with Miley but had found sleeping with the girl she loved just too much of a temptation. It had taken almost two weeks of concerted effort - including purposely kicking and turning during the night as they slept, snoring loudly and even farting. Eventually she could see Miley was getting fed up with the situation so Lilly lightly suggested that it might be better for the both of them if she moved into Miley's old room in the house. The look of relief and gratitude on her friend's face was enough to tell her that her plan had worked to perfection.

"Have you calmed down yet?" she asked her reflection in the mirror.

_[Yes,]_ Lola sighed. _[And thank you for taking over there just before I decked the asshole. I can't believe he had the nerve to cop a feel of Miley's butt with her dad in the room!]_ her alter spat angrily.

"If it hadn't been for Jackson just happening to walk between them at the time I might have punched him myself," Lilly agreed with a nod and a smirk that she thought was hers. "Just you wait Lola. You know as well as I do that he'll get caught cheating on her again and she'll dump him…hopefully for good!"

_[From your lips to Ellen's ears,]_ Lola giggled.

"Talking to yourself again, Lilly?" Robbie Ray asked with a slightly worried smile as he leaned against the open doorway to her bedroom. At her screech of surprise he laughed although it sounded a bit hollow. "I knocked but you obviously were too involved in your conversation to hear me," he told her indignant expression.

"H-how long…"

"A few months," he answered her, knocking on the drywall. "Thin walls…and my room is right next to yours."

"I know," Lilly sighed as she put her brush down and turned around in her chair to more fully face him, "that's why I wear earplugs whenever Lori spends the night. Who'd have thought that of the two of you _you'd_ be the screamer," she tried to smirk. It failed miserably.

"Are you all right Lil?" he asked in a soft voice. "I mean, besides talking to yourself? I know you moved back in here for a reason. Was it really that bad?"

Lilly briefly thought about lying but decided it didn't make any sense. She'd never been able to pull the wool over Mr. S' eyes in the past. What made her think she could do so now?

"Let me ask you a question. What if you were totally in love with someone and had to spend every single night in bed with her, but she couldn't know that you loved her and you didn't dare touch her the way you really wanted to? Oh, and one of the things she really likes to do is to have you spoon her and hold her around the waist because she says it helps her sleep. Don't you think you'd find some way to change your living arrangements before something bad happened?" she asked him with a little tilt to her head.

"She always was a cuddle monster," he chuckled lowly, "but I guess I would at that," he replied with a shake of his head, his eyes never once leaving the green ones in front of him that he could see were filled with pain. "It must have been hard to watch those two tonight."

"Hmm, let me see," Lilly said with a finger under her chin as she gave the question some thought. "If I had to choose between watching him grope her rear end with her giggling and kissing him, or having every single one of my teeth slowly extracted without anesthesia, hmm, I don't know which one I'd choose. They're both so inviting!"

Robbie Ray winced.

"Yeah, it'd be about like that," Lilly said as she got up and grabbed a robe from her closet. She was currently wearing a pair of light blue gym shorts and a white t-shirt that read 'Two Are Better than One.' Lola had seen it in a store once and couldn't resist buying it with all the varied implications and double entendres that simple phrase engendered. "If you don't mind I'm going to take a shower and go to bed. Maybe the hot water will help relax me to the point where I can actually get some rest."

"I think Jackson left enough hot water for you," Mr. S said. "Just know that you can always come to me anytime you feel like talking," he told her gently.

She leaned up on tip toe and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Thanks," she murmured before heading down the hall to the bathroom.

"I swear, Miley doesn't know what she's missing," he told himself with another shake of his head as he watched the young blonde close the bathroom door and heard the shower cut on.

"Is she going to be all right?" Lori asked, coming up behind him and putting her arms around his slowly expanding waistline. She nearly giggled when she felt him suck his tummy in (and guys think girls are vain!) but the topic was too serious.

"I hope so Lori," he paused. "She was talking to Lola again."

"And…"

"And it seemed like they were having a real conversation," he shrugged. "Of course I only heard one side of it, but I didn't hear anything negative. No plans to do anything more than punch Jake's lights out if he messes with my daughter again."

"So, basically, as long as she's watching over Miley it's fine?"

"Heck, I don't know," he grumbled, running a hand through his hair, "I mean, I hate to see her in so much pain, but I don't for the life of me know what I or anyone else can do about it. And as for her talking to 'Lola,' you're the medical professional."

"I'm only a nurse," she sighed, "not a psychologist or psychiatrist. But you're right, she doesn't seem to be a danger to herself or anyone else. It just worries me. She's such a sweet girl. She deserves better than this."

"She deserves to be happy with the one she loves if only that 'one' would wise up for once in her life. Sometimes I think Blue Jean's got more smarts than that girl."

"Still, we'll need to talk to her at some point about her and 'Lola'," Lori sighed, briefly hugging him tighter.

Robbie just nodded. It wasn't a discussion he was looking forward to, but he knew it would have to be done sooner rather than later.

-oo-

Re-entering her room drying her long blonde hair with a towel Lilly came to a dead stop at the sight of the gorgeous, wavy haired brunette lying on her bed clad only in a long red flannel shirt and a pair of white and gold panties.

"What's wrong Lils?" Miley asked her best friend with a worried look.

"Why does everyone keep asking me that?" Lilly nearly yelled in a combination of shock and frustration, throwing her hands in the air. "Nothing's wrong!"

"And I'm the queen of Siam," Miley told her getting angry herself and sitting up on the bed. "You've been moping around here for I don't know how long."

"Well excuse me your highness!" Lilly sneered while giving Miley a sarcastic curtsey. "I'll try not to impose my moodiness on you!"

Miley turned her head away to hide her blush. Lilly's little curtsey in her robe had more than proven that she hadn't bothered to put on any pajamas or even underwear after stepping out of the shower. "Put some damn clothes on girl," she mumbled.

Lilly wasn't up to playing nursemaid to a suddenly worried Miley that hadn't been paying much attention to the girl that was supposed to be her 'best friend' for months. "Yes ma'am," she spat as she walked over to her dresser to get out a clean set of PJs. Without bothering to turn around she undid the tie and shrugged out of the robe, allowing it to drop to the floor. She bent over to rummage through the dresser drawer hoping that Miley was getting a good eyeful. She slipped on a pair of panties and then grabbed a long t-shirt out of another drawer, turning around to see a gape mouthed Miley Stewart, her wide eyes bouncing from her thinly covered crotch to her bare breasts. She smirked as she stood there nearly naked. "What's the matter Miles? Like what you see?" she snorted before pulling the shirt over her head and settling it around her hips. "Too bad. I thought you and Jake would still be downstairs doing the horizontal mambo."

"He…he left about an hour ago," Miley stammered. She forced her eyes to finally look up to Lilly's face and saw the girl nearly laughing at her. All this did was add fuel to the fire smoldering inside her. "And why would I want to stare at your tiny tits?" she blurted without thought, just needing to defend herself because she _had_ been staring and dammit she _did_ like what she saw but didn't for the life of her know why.

"Yeah, why would you," Lilly said softly to herself as she turned and walked over to her dressing table to once again pick up her brush.

_[Are you trying to blow this, Lilly!]_ Lola yelled at her. _[Quit being stupid!]_

"Shut up wench," Lilly mumbled angrily under her breath. Lola shut up but Lilly could almost feel her seething underneath her skin. "Look who's talking 'tiny tits'," she laughed for Miley's ears. "At least I'm not still being mistaken for a middle schooler when I go to the theatre."

Miley's jaw dropped open again at the mention of the one thing about her body that she was still worried about. She shut it quickly however when she realized that Lilly was just striking back at her for her own stupid remark. She turned on the bed so that she could better see her friend, pulling her knees up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them.

Unfortunately that position gave Lilly an almost unobstructed view of Miley's own barely covered nether regions in the mirror and she quickly tried to focus on her hair, or her face, or anything other than that cotton covered…

"Sorry Miley," she said softly, "that was a low blow."

"Yeah, well…I wasn't exactly being very nice either," the blue-eyed girl admitted. "But I am worried about you," she said, raising her head so that she could see Lilly's face reflected in the mirror. "You're my best friend. If there's something I can do…"

"Yeah, there is. Go to bed Miley," Lilly told her dejectedly, looking at her reflection. "Just…go to bed."

"No! I'm not leaving here until you tell me what's going on with you."

"Your famed Stewart Stubbornness isn't going to help you tonight, Miley, so just get over it," Lilly told her in a cold voice, turning around so that she could look her in the eyes. "I'm allowed to have my moods, I'm allowed to have them whenever I feel like it, and I'm allowed to have them _in private!_ Believe me, you do not want to go there right now."

"Is it Oliver?" Miley guessed in a voice not much louder than a mouse.

"ARRGGGHHH! Miley Ray Stewart, get out of my room!" she screamed, picking up the hairbrush and threatening bodily injury if one stubborn-as-a-jackass and just about as smart Tennessee farm rat didn't leave her alone immediately!

Believe it or not, jackasses, or donkeys as they are also called, are actually quite intelligent as Miley proved by fleeing the irate room owner, pulling the door closed just before it felt the stinging impact of the brush. The scream of frustration and anger that issued from that closed door could be heard throughout the house and brought Robbie, Lori and Jackson rushing out of their rooms to find a quivering Miley sitting on the floor outside Lilly's room.

"I think I screwed up," she whimpered.

Robbie gave Lori a look and the blonde pushed him in the back, propelling him softly toward his daughter while Jackson huffed and returned to his room, slamming the door in the process. As Robbie was passing Lilly's room he could hear soft crying. He also could have sworn he heard two weeping voices instead of one but decided it wasn't the time to be worrying about that just now.

"D-daddy?" Miley whimpered again as tears started forming at the corners of her blue eyes.

"Come on sugarplum," he told her, helping her to her feet. "Let's go get us some Rocky Road and have a little chat."

"Lilly hates me, doesn't she?"

"No, hun, she don't hate you," he assured her as he helped her down the stairs and into the kitchen where he sat her down at the table. "She's just got a lot on her mind right now," he explained as he went to the freezer and pulled out a half-gallon of ice cream.

"B-but…I mean…we've argued in the past," Miley cried, "and she's gotten mad at me before, but she's never yelled at me like that." Robbie handed her a spoon and took one for himself, opening the container and taking a taste before nodding at her to start eating. Miley reluctantly took a small bite.

"She's your best friend, buttercup. She'd never hate you." He took another small bite and looked at her until she took another for herself.

"But," Miley said softly, wiping her eyes as she took another bite, "she's been so distant lately. And she hardly ever really smiles at me. I mean, yeah, she smiles, but not like she really means it. And she moved out of the room…"

"And when was that?" he asked her gently. "Wasn't it about the time you and Jake started dating again?" It wasn't, and the two topics had nothing to do with each other, but Miley wouldn't know that. "You know she's never really liked him. Not since he cheated on you that time. Can't say he's very high on my hit parade neither. Anyone that hurts my little girl has a lot to make up for before I'm going to trust them again. Lilly's the same way." He thought that maybe if he threw the suspicion on Miley's and Jake's relationship it might keep his daughter's mind from traveling to places that he knew for sure Lilly didn't want it to go. However... "She loves you hun. She doesn't want to see you hurt again and it's driving her…well…let's just say she's not too keen on the idea." He took another small bite of the ice cream as he watched her eat. "And let's face it. Ever since you started dating Jake again you've had less and less time for her."

"I know she doesn't like Jake much…and I know I've been spending more time with him recently…"

"Uh huh."

"But if she just gave him a chance…" Miley didn't quite know how to finish that thought so she went with another. "And she's got Oliver."

"Miley, baby," Robbie sighed, "do you honestly think that Lilly'd pick 'Smoken' Oken over you? They've been friends for forever, and they've dated off and on, but she'd never choose him over you if it came down to a choice. She'd much rather be with you than him anytime. And she's proved it time and time again." That at least was the truth. Robbie figured that Oliver was Lilly's faux boyfriend just to keep her safe and out of trouble. He didn't know if Oliver knew that Lilly was in love with Miley, but he wouldn't be overly surprised if he did.

"I know Daddy," Miley sighed, "but I can't dump Jake just because Lilly or even you don't like him. I think I might love him."

"And Lilly'd never ask you to." He chose to ignore that last little bit. He _really_ didn't like that boy and like Lilly, or Lola, was pretty sure that Jake would screw up again in the not too distant future.

"Jake's scheduled to go back on location in a couple of weeks and will be gone for two whole months. Maybe then I can try to mend my relationship with Lilly," Miley told her father, perking up a bit at the thought.

"So, you're going to leave her hangin' by herself for another couple of weeks until Jake leaves?" Robbie asked, giving her a look that told her she was being selfish and stupid…again. "And what about when he comes back. Are you going to put Lilly on the back burner again? Is she your friend only when Jake's not around?"

"Dad! It's not like that," Miley whined.

"Sure sounds that way to me, bud," he told her, pushing his chair back away from the table and going to the sink to wash his spoon. "Just think about it baby. Think about you, and Jake, and Lilly, and even Hannah and what kind of relationship you want with each of them. Who's more important to you?" He leaned over and gave her a soft kiss on the top of her head. "Sweet dreams, sweetie."

"Oh sure, like I'm going to get any sleep tonight," she groaned and put her head down on the table.

"Then my job here is done," Robbie Ray winked at her and grinned before heading back up to bed.

Miley sat there cradling her head on her arms as she felt the tears start up again.

"Why does love have to be so hard?"

-oo-

Lilly lay on her bed, the covers pulled up to her chin as the light of the moon painted the walls and ceiling of her room in a silvery glow.

"Why does love have to be so hard?" she asked no one in particular. It didn't overly surprise her when she got an answer.

_[Because it's worth it. Anything that's truly important and precious should never be handed to you on a platter. If it were you wouldn't treasure it as near as much as you should.]_

"How'd you get to be so wise," she asked, not wanting to wonder how she herself wasn't.

_[Hey, just because I'm a flighty, flirty sex goddess that doesn't mean I don't have a brain.]_

"Yeah, I'll bet it's just because you were paying more attention in class than I was when the teacher was talking about Plato and Aristotle."

_[That might have something to do with it,]_ Lola agreed with a low chuckle. _[Or it could be that I'm not quite as invested in being Miley's friend as you are. You've known her longer than I have. She's _your_ best friend. I wouldn't mind being her friend like you are, but I also want more from her than just her friendship.]_

"And I don't?" Lilly said a little more loudly than she probably should have. She'd raised herself up on her arms to start arguing but instead just groaned and lay back down. "Not like either of us is ever going to see that dream come true."

_[Dreams remain dreams until they are fulfilled. Then they become reality. Like love, you have to work hard to make your dreams come true. It's not easy. In fact it can be pretty damned difficult, but it's worth it in the end.]_

"There you go philosophizing again," Lilly chuckled. "I thought you were the preeminent party girl, not a Plato wannabe. Or wasn't it Freud that dealt so much with dreams?"

_[Different kind of dreams baby,]_ Lola laughed. _[And don't forget his take on sex!]_

"Great! Talk about something else we're never going to get a lot of! You're not helping me sleep!"

_[Sorry,]_ Lola said contritely. _[I was hoping to take your mind somewhere else.]_

"Thanks," Lilly smiled softly, "I appreciate your concern." She turned over so that she could look out the window at the moonlit darkness. "Maybe we should think about going somewhere else after we graduate high school. Maybe in college we'll meet new people; get a new start. I've heard that lesbians don't get anywhere near the hassles in college as they do in high school."

_[Is that what you really want? To move out? Get away from here? Get away from _her_?]_

"It can't be much more painful than staying here and watching her and 'The Snake' get it on. That's a slow, lingering pain. Leaving…that's more like ripping the bandage off in one quick swipe. It hurts like a mother for a little while, but then it's gone."

Lola didn't have any way to counter that argument. Nor did she know if she really wanted to counter it.

-oo-

"LILLAAYY!" Miley yelled as she bounced through Lilly's bedroom door around eight the next morning. She'd decided to try to pretend that their fight the previous night hadn't happened. She' been up most of the night thinking and not coming up with any acceptable solutions so she figured that ignoring it was probably the best course of action. She'd expected to pounce on the still sleeping blonde in order to wake her up with a cheery smile. She hadn't expected the bed to be neatly made and no sign of her best friend in the whole world.

"Lilly?" She anxiously looked in the closet first, not for Lilly but just to make sure the clothes and suitcase were still there. She looked in a few of the drawers as well just to be extra sure. Nothing appeared to be missing, but then again would she even really know if some of the clothes were gone? Miley then stepped back out in the hall and walked down to the closed door to the bathroom.

"Lilly?" she knocked, receiving no answer. She tentatively turned the handle and opened the door to a darkened bath. No Lilly.

"DAAAD!" she yelled as she went running down the stairs.

"Whoa, hold up there little filly!" Robbie Ray told his daughter as she came sliding into the kitchen where he was just finishing up making omelettes for himself and Lori. "Where's the fire?"

"Have…have you seen Lilly?" the brunette panted, gasping in her fear.

"No. Not since we got up," he looked to Lori who shook her head. "Have you checked her room or the bath?"

"Yes, both! She's not here!" Miley nearly yelled.

"Calm down there girl," he said as he turned the burner off and moved the eggs off the heat so that he could grab her shaking hands. "I don't think she's gone off anywhere if that's what you're thinking."

"But, but…"

"What's all the ruckus about?" Jackson called out as he came down the stairs rubbing his messy bedhead.

"Lilly's gone!" Miley wailed.

"Well after that fight the two of you had last night I'm not surprised," he yawned.

"Maybe she went to the beach," Lori offered the distraught teen. "You know how she likes to go there to think."

"Yeah. Yeah!" Miley grabbed onto the sliver of hope her father's girlfriend held out to her. "Maybe that's it. Maybe she went to the beach!"

"If she did then she probably wants to be alone," Robbie said. "So sit down and have some breakfast. I'm sure she'll be back soon."

"I'm not real hungry," Miley said, holding her stomach which was still roiling with the fear that she'd somehow chased her friend out of her life.

"At least have some eggs and toast," Robbie told her, turning back to the stove to finish the cooking.

Miley sat and ate a few bites of the food her father dished up and then played with it on her plate until Robbie got fed up and took it away to give to Jackson. She didn't even argue or pout as her brother dug into her breakfast, just sat staring at the table in front of her.

By the time Lilly came through the patio doors dressed in a pair of gym shorts and a sweat-soaked Radiohead t-shirt Miley had almost worn a path in the carpet from all her pacing. She'd gotten a call from Jake but told him she'd have to call him back. He wasn't overly happy about it but she couldn't bring herself to care. When Lilly came in she was immediately pounced on by an anxious but relieved brunette.

"Wh-where w-were you?" Miley asked her friend when she'd finally calmed down a bit.

"I went for a run," the confused blonde replied, not understanding why her friend was so upset.

"I thought…I thought…" Miley nearly started to cry but caught herself. "I didn't know where you were. I went to your room to see if you wanted to go out today," she prevaricated.

"I thought you had a date with Jake today," the green-eyed girl said with a bit of wariness. "If you want me to play third-wheel you can just forget it."

"No! No, I'm going to cancel. I just want the two of us to have a Liley day. No boyfriends, no work, no school, just us."

"What did you have in mind?" Lilly asked, still a bit unsure of Miley's sudden change in attitude.

"I don't know, maybe head down to the pier and then do lunch. Maybe some shopping?" Miley suggested, hoping that her friend would say yes.

"All right," Lilly nodded after a moment of quiet thought. "Let me just go up and shower and change and I'll be back down in a bit," Lilly smiled a bit too widely.

"Okay!" Miley nearly leapt for joy. She watched Lilly head upstairs to get ready and finally fell onto the couch and let out a heavy sigh of relief.

Everything she'd been thinking about had flown out the window as soon as she'd thought Lilly might have left her. She thought back to what her dad had told her, that she needed to think about what kind of relationship she wanted with Lilly and who was more important to her life: Lilly or Jake. Even at his worst Jake had never made her feel so alone and upset when he left her; like her life was over without him in it. That morning, however, when she'd thought Lilly had gone she realized just how important her friend was to her and what her life would be like without Lilly Truscott in it. It wasn't a future she wanted to contemplate. So when Lilly had walked in that door it was like the sun had risen and the color had returned to the world. She realized that she _might_ love Jake, but she _did_ love Lilly! No_ boy_ was worth losing her best friend over.

Upstairs Lilly took her t-shirt off and used it to wipe the sweat from her chest. A flicker of gold caught her eye and she reached down to carefully pick up the heart-shaped locket that she'd worn around her neck ever since the day Miley had given it to her for her fifteenth birthday. She gently opened it to see the picture of the two of them hugging, both with huge smiles on their faces. They'd been so happy once it was hard to believe that things had gotten to where they were today.

Gently she reached up and unclasped the necklace that had not left her neck in nearly three years. She opened the small jewelry case on her dresser and tenderly set it in the box. She covered it with a small jewelry cloth and then slowly closed the lid.

_[You're sure?]_ Lola asked softly.

"Yes, I'm sure," Lilly replied just as softly. "I have to do this. It hurts too damn much."

"LILLY? You ready to get going?" Miley called up to her.

"Give me a minute," she yelled back "Let me take a shower and get dressed," she called out, "and then I _[we]_ can _[let]_ go," she and Lola finished much more quietly.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Okay, so now it's a three-shot. I guess my regular readers know that I never could leave a story on a down note, so here's chapter 2. I hope you enjoy it. As always, your reviews and comments would be greatly appreciated.

Disclaimer: I don't own _Hannah Montana_ or any of its characters. I've just found them awfully fun to play with ;p

* * *

The Pier juts out at a ninety degree angle from the Malibu boardwalk and contains numerous bait and tackle shops for fishing, small food stands and a couple of somewhat seedy bars where the fishermen gather to talk about "the one that got away" knowing that there are ears eager to hear their tales. Hidden in between the souvenir, t-shirt and kitschy memorabilia shops that line the boardwalk you can find some incredible little clothing shops, many of which had provided the clothes that a young Hannah Montana wore onstage. Even now that the hottest fashion designers were basically throwing rack upon rack of their latest styles at her she still frequented these little out of the way shops.

Those same shops had bedecked a budding Lola Luftnagle as she had donned and then perfected her own unique personality and style. The two girls, Lilly and Miley in this case, dashed laughingly into a wig shop where Lola had spied a mannequin wearing a long, straight haired wig in a vibrant orange.

"Why do they all have to look like anime characters?" Miley laughed as her friend tucked her hair up under a disposable cap and then donned the long-haired wig.

"Because I like anime," was the simple yet giddy reply as Lilly modeled in front of a mirror.

"Since when?" Miley scoffed. "I've never seen you watch an anime in your life."

"Uh," Lilly turned a bit pale and then blushed, "I-I watch it at home. Doesn't this remind you of Asuna Kagurazaka from Negima? Except that it's not as long. I could probably put it into twin tails without any problem."

"Whoever that is," Miley rolled her eyes, "and if you're so into anime how come you've never watched it with me?"

"Um," Lilly stammered. It wasn't really Lilly that liked anime. That was Lola. Lilly thought some of it was all right, but most was downright silly. Still, she put up with watching it for Lola's sake. "Well, maybe next time you come over I'll let you watch some _Strawberry Panic!_" she laughed sheepishly. The thought of Miley watching that blatantly yuri anime seemed to be turning Lola on. Well, it would definitely provide the opening to a discussion of lesbian relationships that she could use to judge Miley's thoughts on the subject.

_[If you think SP! will get her wondering, what about _Shoujo Sect_?]_ Lola laughed as she admired the wig in the mirror.

"Yeah, that's all we'd need, Miley watching lesbian anime porn," Lilly scoffed under her breath. "I don't know why I let you buy that in the first place."

_[Because you enjoy getting off to it just as much as I do,]_ Lola snickered.

"Hmm, did you say something?" Miley asked.

"Uh, I was asking…if you thought this went well with my face!" Lilly thought quickly.

_[Good catch,]_ Lola giggled.

Miley stared at Lilly's reflection in the mirror, noting how the color seemed to go well with her friend's dark green eyes and lightly tanned…soft…tender…highly touchable skin. She smiled shyly wondering where those thoughts had come from. "Yeah, I think it looks good. Hey! Have you ever noticed that Japanese anime characters almost never look Asian? I wonder why?"

"Who knows," Lilly shrugged. "The characters are probably designed to appeal to the American and European markets."

"Do you think they have different characters for the Japanese market?"

"I doubt it," Lilly said. "The cost of changing them and redoing the entire anime would be too expensive." The blonde reluctantly took the wig off and checked the price tag. She sighed. "Talk about expensive. You'd think that heat resistant fiber wigs would be cheaper than human hair. I guess I'll have to start saving my money again."

"I'll buy it for you," Miley offered quickly but Lilly shook her head.

"You know I don't like you using your money for my things. I'll get it when I can afford it myself," she said adamantly.

"Talk about stubbornness," Miley groused.

"I'm not stubborn, I'm prideful," Lilly corrected her.

"You know pride is one of the seven deadly sins," Miley pointed out.

"Yeah, well, depending on your religious beliefs I'm already going to hell," the blonde said, again under her breath.

_[_We're_ going to hell,]_ Lola agreed with a giggle, _[but I intend to have as much fun as I can before I go.]_

"Shut up wench," Lilly chuckled. Lola just laughed harder.

"Why would you be going to hell?" Miley asked with a creased brow, not understanding how her friend could have done something that bad.

Lilly sighed. Obviously she'd have to speak softer when talking to Lola when Miley was around. "It depends on your belief," she shrugged. "Some believe that you go to hell if you've never been baptized. Other's think everyone is going to hell, or at least limbo, if you aren't a member of their specific religion. There are even those that think you're going to hell if you're homosexual," she said, holding her breath.

"People can sure be weird sometimes," Miley just shrugged.

_[It was a good try,]_ Lola offered apologetically.

The two girls left the shop and continued their wandering of the boardwalk. Despite her decision of earlier that morning she still harbored some small hopes that Miley might someday return or at least accept her feelings. In the meantime she knew that she had to try to distance that part of herself from the sweet, sexy, kind, sexy, gorgeous, sexy, desirable, sexy... _[Not helping here!]_ Lola complained.

"Sorry," Lilly giggled.

_[OH! Cotton candy! Lola wants!]_ Lola shrieked with glee as Lilly spotted the vendor that Lola had noticed while she hadn't.

"All it is is spun liquid sugar with food coloring. Pure empty calories and horrible for your weight and figure! Definitely not!" the green-eyed girl told her.

_[But it's so gooooood,]_ Lola whined. Lilly could easily imagine the puppy dog-like eyes that Lola would try to use on her and sighed. _[Lola want, Lola want, Lola want…]_

"And whatever Lola wants, Lola gets?" Lilly rolled her eyes. "No!"

"Huh?" Miley asked, turning to her friend who she was sure had been talking to herself.

_[Lo_…la wants," Lola exclaimed gleefully as she ran over to the cotton candy vendor.

_[LOLA!]_ Lilly shrieked.

"Pleeeaassee!" Lola begged as she slowed her run.

_[Fine,]_ Lilly grumped. _[But only a small one and you have to share with Miley.]_

"Yaaay! Cotton candy!" Lola bounced clapping her hands and then dug into her wallet for the proper amount.

"Sports nut say _what_?" Miley asked in shock.

"Whaaat," Lola pouted, "can't a girl get a little _sugar_ every now and then?" she smirked with a lecherous eye towards Lilly's best friend. She paid the vendor and skipped over to where Miley was standing, still in disbelief. Lola picked off a piece of the fluffy candy and sensuously licked it off her fingers as Miley's eyes widened. She then plucked off another piece and held it out to the stunned brunette. "Say aaahhh," she giggled. When Miley's mouth dropped open in shock she stuck the piece of spun sugar in her mouth, making sure to run her finger gently over Miley's tongue. Miley's lips snapped shut on her finger which Lola wiggled a bit before ever so slowly sliding it out. "Sugar for my sugar," she purred suggestively.

Sweat broke out on Miley's brow and she clenched her legs together at that sultry purr, a shiver running up and down her spine before it settled in her core to ignite an ember of flame. "Lo…Lilly," she hissed in a whisper, "why are you acting like Lola?"

"Can't I have some fun with my best girl…friend?" Lola asked in a way too innocent and demure voice. Miley clenched her legs together even tighter as she tried to stem the moisture she felt gathering at the apex of her thighs. The sound of that voice and the look that Lilly was giving her was sending her emotions into overdrive.

_[LOLA!]_ Lilly screeched. Even without a body she could feel her skin heating up from the blush she'd be wearing if she were in control.

"G-g-g-g-g-g," Miley stammered.

"Lola thinks Miley needs more sugar," Lola giggled and tore off another piece to plop between Miley's stuttering lips, making sure to once again caress the brunette's tongue before slowly removing her finger, but not before rubbing the inside of Miley's lips.

"Oh, god!" Miley moaned as her knees grew weak. She knew for sure she'd have to change her underwear when they got back home! Thank god she's decided to change into a skirt!

"Miley like?" Lola giggled.

"Miiiley liiike," the blue-eyed girl had groaned without thought before suddenly realizing what she'd said. Both Lola and Lilly thought that the blush that suddenly suffused the girl's cheeks was awfully cute. "I-I mean…argh! Lillaaaaay!" she shrieked in embarrassment, covering her face with her hands. Lola giggled, grabbed one of those hands and interlaced their fingers before dragging the bright red girl down the street while humming "Whatever Lola Wants."

As soon as she'd finished her cotton candy Lola gave control back to Lilly. Lola hadn't relinquished her hold on Miley's hand as they walked so Lilly relished the feel of those guitar string callused fingertips on her own soft hands.

"S-sorry about back there…about the way I acted," she apologized softly, but Miley just smiled, a slight pink re-entering her cheeks.

"Nah, it's all right. It's been a while since you seemed that happy," Miley grinned. "It was kind of nice to see…even if it was kind of embarrassing," she giggled. Lilly laughed quietly as well.

"It was kind of fun," she had to agree.

_[Your welcome,]_ Lola smirked.

"Wench," Lilly chuckled.

"What?" Miley asked.

"L-lunch. I was asking if you were ready for lunch," she replied.

_[You're getting better at that,]_ Lola giggled.

"After cotton candy, now you want lunch?" Miley gaped at her.

Lilly laughed. "Well, you know, my stomach is a bottomless pit."

"Yet you stay so slender," Miley pouted cutely. "It's not fair. I gain ten pounds if I even _look_ at a sliver of cake."

"_Some_ of us actually get some exercise," Lilly laughed. "Unlike those poor fools that can't walk and chew gum at the same time."

"Heey! I can't help it if I'm athletically impaired!"

"At least you dance around on stage. That's got to take a lot of energy."

"Yeah, but I've still got to watch my weight when I'm not on tour," Miley sighed.

"I think you look fine," Lilly said softly and with a shy smile, earning herself a much wider smile from her curvy friend.

"Why thank you Lilly," Miley preened, running her fingers through her hair, something that Lilly herself would like to do. Miley's hair was so thick and silky, the waves and curls just begged to be played with.

"I-I'm just saying," the blonde stammered, turning her face away to hide her own flush.

"So…no more 'tiny tits' comments?" the brunette giggled.

"Th-they're fine too," Lilly stammered, unable to believe that she'd somehow continued the teasing that Lola had started.

"You think so?" Miley asked seriously as she glanced down at her own breasts. "They're not too small?"

"More than a handful's wasted," Lilly smirked. It was way easier to talk about Miley's body when she teased the other girl. "And I got big hands," she leered, lifting her own hands up and playing like she was going to grab a double handful, earning a giggly squeak from her friend.

"Yours are still bigger," Miley grinned back, pretending she was going to grab at Lilly's as well. They're hands met and fingers entwined in a brief tussle before they both devolved to giggles.

_[Coward,]_ Lola joined in the laughter.

"Fine," Lilly said and pulled Miley towards her. She saw her friend's eyes widen as she leaned up and placed a soft kiss on her cheek. "Love you Miles," she whispered.

"L-love you t-too Lils," the thunderstruck songstress stuttered back. Lilly grinned and pulled a stumbling Miley along the sidewalk and into one of their favorite pizza places. They were probably half-way through the pizza before the glazed look left Miley's face.

_[Not bad minx,]_ Lola snickered. _[Not bad at all.]_

-oo-

_Sweet niblets! She…she kissed me!_ Miley thought as Lilly placed their order. _I mean sure, it was only on the cheek, but still…she _kissed_ me! How can one teeny, itty-bitty little kiss, on the cheek yet, feel so much better than all the kisses from Jake and Jesse rolled into one? It doesn't make any sense! I mean, yeah, I love Lilly, she's my best friend, but I like guys! Miley Ray Stewart Likes Guys! I don't like girls! Well, I mean, I don't dislike girls, but I don't _like_ girls. I LIKE GUYS! But she kissed me and, OMG! She said she loved me! Well, of course she did. We do love each other, as friends…best friends even…that's all! That's all she meant, I'm sure of it. Aren't I? Oh, sweet niblets! Aunt Dolly! Why didn't you talk to me about things like this! Wait! Maybe I can call her. Yeah, that's what I'll do. I'll call Aunt Dolly! Not Mamaw, she'd never understand. Hell, _I_ don't understand. Maybe daddy? No, no, that's not a good idea. I mean, yeah, he'd probably be okay with it, but is that really what I need right now when I'm having a sexuality crisis? Am I having a sexuality crisis? Nah, couldn't be, cause Miley Ray Stewart LIKES GUYS? Hey, wait a minute, why the question mark? Was there a question mark? Nah, couldn't have been. _

_Wait, is Lilly talking to me? No, she's just blabbering on. She doesn't look like she expects me to answer. Maybe I've been grunting in the right places and just didn't notice. Is that pepperoni in my mouth? When did the pizza get here? Okay, so I'll call Aunt Dolly and ask her…ask her what? What it's like to be in love with a girl? How the heck would she know? Wait! Love? LOVE? Who the hell said anything about LOVE! I. LIKE. GUYS! First there was Jake, then Jesse, then Jake again, then he cheated on me, the rat! Then we got back together…Why did we get back together? Oh, yeah, because I might be in love with him…even though he cheated on me…but that was only once…right? Oh sweet niblets! Wait, was that a question?_

"Huh?" Miley asked, coming out of her kiss induced funk.

"I said you had pizza sauce on your cheek," Lilly giggled, pointing a finger at her face.

"Where?" Miley squeaked, rubbing at the wrong cheek.

"Here, allow me," Lilly smirked and then leaned across the table to use her finger, her very soft and gentle finger, to wipe away some stray tomato sauce. She then proceeded to lick it off her finger, wrapping her tongue around it and slowly licking it clean before finally closing her lips around the suddenly very phallus-like appendage and s-l-o-w-l-y pulling it out, smacking her lips. "Miley, close your mouth. You're drooling," Lilly giggled.

_OH. MY. GOD! That was so…_ Miley shuddered and closed her mouth, but not before running a napkin over her lips. _Damn! I _was_ drooling! I have sooo got to call Aunt Dolly!_

-oo-

Miley was silent for most of the rest of the "Liley" day and all the way home. Lilly kept up a running, one-sided conversation to fill the void but didn't seem overly concerned that Miley didn't join in. The brunette would glance every so often over at her blonde friend as she jabbered away as if nothing was wrong, but every now and then she'd see a little smirk on Lilly's lips that told her she wasn't getting away with anything. Lilly knew she'd flustered her to no end and was having a ball at her expense. She just couldn't bring herself to take any umbrage from it. It was almost…sweet. And when their eyes would meet her heart would start thudding in her chest like a big ol' timpani drum. Like any minute it would just come flying out of her chest to land at her feet. No, she was pretty sure that Lilly would catch it before that…if she hadn't caught it already! Oh, sweet niblets!

"I had fun Miley. We need to do this more often," Lilly told her with a large smile as she dropped her off at the door to her suite.

"Y-yeah," Miley stammered, unable to look away from the sparkle in those deep green eyes, "we need to do it again." Then, just like before, Lilly got a bit of a smirk on her face and leaned up toward her. _Oh my god! She's going to kiss me! On the lips! WhatdoIdo! WhatdoIdo!_ _WhatdoIdo! _she shrieked in her head, her eyes going wide before she felt them closing of their own accord. She heard Lilly giggle softly before a pair of soft lips pressed against her cheek, very near to the corner of her mouth, but still her cheek. She sighed gently, for some reason disheartened that those lips hadn't found her own. _I LIKE GUYS!_ she squeaked to herself as she heard Lilly laughing quietly.

"See you at dinner Miles," Lilly chuckled before turning to head into the house through the patio doors. "I gotta have a loooong talk with someone about proper behavior," the blonde spat angrily as she walked away.

"I don't know who she's got to talk to, but I know I wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of _that_ discussion!" Miley shuddered. "Aunt Dolly! Gotta call Aunt Dolly!" the blue-eyed girl gasped as she spun and ran straight into her door. "Ooowwwy." She rubbed her nose, got out her key and finally let herself in. She stumbled over to her bed, dropping the few bags of clothes that she'd bought at the foot. Miley fell to the mattress, grabbed her cell phone and hit her speed dial. It rang three times on the other end before a very perky and very southern voice answered.

"Miley! How you doin' sweetie pie," her godmother asked. "Everythin' alright?"

"Yeah," Miley smiled, happier just to hear Dolly's voice. "Everything's fine. Well, mostly I guess."

"That don't sound like everythin's fine," Dolly said with a touch of concern. "What's on your mind sweetie?"

"H-have…have you ever…un, have you ever met a l-l-l-lesbian?" Miley asked timidly.

"Oh, honey, please don't tell me your gettin' prejudiced against gay folk?" Dolly sighed.

"What! Oh, no! Nothing like that!"

"Good, cause you know, you're in the wrong business if you plan on bein' a homophobe."

"Yeah, I guess," Miley chuckled. "But, uh, have you? I mean, met a lesbian?"

Dolly laughed. "Well, it's not like they walk up to you with a big ol' nametag that says 'Hi, my names Melissa and I'm gay'."

"Melissa?"

"Etheridge dear," Dolly sighed again and Miley could hear the exasperation in her voice even as she gasped.

"MELLIE!"

"Of course, dear. Didn't you know?"

"I-I guess I just never thought about it."

"And how many times have you been on Ellen's show now?"

"Um, I guess three times…oh…OH!"

"You know, she and Portia just make the cuuutest couple," Dolly snickered. "Are you sure you been takin' your vitamins?"

"I think Jackson swapped them out for some stupid pills," Miley cringed. How could she have forgotten? She'd met Ellen DeGeneres and even her wife, Portia de Rossi, on any number of occasions. And she'd never even given Melissa Etheridge being gay a second's thought.

"That bein' said, what's brought on this sudden interest in lesbians, sweetie? Did you finally realize that your feelin's for Lilly were somethin' more than just friendship?"

"Eeep," Miley squeaked, imitating her best friend without thought. "Wha-what do you mean? I never said…"

"Oh, hun, anyone that knows you can tell that you love that girl more than just as a friend. And if it makes you feel any better, I'm pretty darned sure she feels the same way, if not more so."

"BUT I LIKE GUYS!" Miley screeched, holding the phone away from her face and staring at it like it was about to bite her.

"So?" Dolly's chuckling voice came through loud and clear. "Nothin' wrong with bein' a switch hitter baby," she laughed. "Doubles the playin' field."

"DOOLLYYY!" Miley whined and her Aunt just laughed at her. "This isn't a laughing matter," she mumbled into the phone, "I don't know what I'm feeling or what I'm supposed to do…it's so confusing…and scary."

"Oh, honey, it's not scary at all…well, not when it comes to you and Lilly. Now Hannah, that's a different matter altogether. Miley Ray Stewart bein' bi or gay is one thing. Hannah Montana bein' gay? Now that's a whole other barrel of catfish. I'm not so sure how your fans would feel if they found out that their idol was a practicin' 'bian."

"'Practicing'!" Miley gaped, her imagination suddenly providing images that made her face look redder than her Grandma Ruby's prize-winning tomatoes. She shook her head to get rid of those images and tried to focus on the other part of her godmother's statement. What about Hannah? What about her fans? _Hell, what about Miley!_ she thought.

"The main thing you got to think about sweetie is what your heart is tellin' you. How do you feel about Lilly, or guys for that matter? What kind of relationship do you want with her?"

"Now you sound like Daddy," Miley sighed. "He asked me just about the same thing: what kind of relationship do I want to have with Lilly, with Jake, and even with Hannah."

"Please don't tell me you're back with that snake-in-the-grass," Dolly hissed. "After what he done to you! I tell you right now, once a cheater…always a cheater. You'll always be wonderin' where he is, what he's doin,' _who_ he's doin'…believe me honey, I know from experience! That's a dead-end street with nothin' but heartbreak at the end."

"But…I think I might still love him," Miley sniffed.

Aunt Dolly sighed. "Look, sweetie, I can't tell you how to run your love life, but if it were me, I'd take the one that I _knew_ I loved and loved me back. What the heck's her bein' a girl got to do with anythin'? Do you love her?"

"Yes, of course I love her."

"Are you _in_ love with her?"

"I…I don't know. Whenever she's near me recently I get these flutters and jibbers and my heart starts hammerin'…and when she kissed me…"

"SHE KISSED YOU!" Dolly exclaimed gleefully.

"ON THE CHEEK, AUNT DOLLY!" Miley yelled right back. "Only on the cheek, but it felt…I don't know…it felt better, more powerful, more exciting, than all those other kisses rolled into one," she sighed.

"Then I'd say your hearts tryin' to tell you something'," Dolly chuckled. "I assume you don't feel the same way when…ugh…Jake kisses you?" Miley could easily imagine the sneer on her godmother's face when she said Jake's name.

"It's not that kissing Jake's all that bad," she prevaricated, "it's just not the same. And when I thought Lilly had left me this morning after a fight we had last night I don't think I've ever felt so lost and alone."

"Look, sweetie pie, you know I just want what's best for you and what will make you happy," Dolly said lovingly, "I honestly don't think that Jake's going to make you happy in the long run. Lilly, on the other hand, would do anythin' for you just to see you smile. If it makes you happy, then she'll be happy…even if it means givin' you up. Can you say the same thing for…that boy?"

Miley sniffed again. It was all too confusing. She knew her Aunt Dolly was right, but it was just so frightening. Jake…well maybe not Jake…but a boy would be _safe_. Lilly, being gay, a lesbian…she wasn't sure she could deal with that. _But what if it means losing Lilly?_ she asked herself. _Could I live with that? I think I already decided I couldn't, but still…_

"Miley?"

"Sorry, I'm still here Aunt Dolly," she smiled sadly. "Just thinking."

"Sometimes you can think too much darlin'," and Miley heard the answering sad smile in her voice. "Sometimes you just have to go with what you're feelin'."

"I know."

"And I'll only say one last thing on this matter," Dolly said strongly. "No matter what, Lilly will never intentionally hurt you. She'd rather hurt herself first. If, like you feared earlier, if she ever leaves you, you can be sure it's because she thinks it will be better for you in the long run."

"But I don't want her to leave me," Miley cried softly.

"Then hold onto her darlin'. Hold on so tight that she can't slip away, otherwise you'll end up regrettin' it for the rest of your life."


	3. Chapter 3

_[Oh, you are soooo bad, Truscott,]_ Lola giggled as Lilly stormed away from Miley's bedroom door. _[I thought for a moment there you really were going to kiss her on the lips.]_

"Yeah, well…so did I," Lilly chuckled before remembering that she was angry with her alter. "Don't try to change the subject! How could you! Just for a taste of cotton candy you push me out of the way! And then you start coming on to Miley!" She stormed through the patio door, talking to herself loud enough that Robbie Ray's and Lori's eyes widened in shock from their seats on the sofa, but she paid them no mind as she tromped up the stairs to her bedroom. "How could you! And you kissed her!"

_[No, if you remember correctly you'd taken over again by then. It was _you_ that kissed her first,]_ Lola giggled, _[I just laid the groundwork.]_

"Groundwork my sweet patootie!" Lilly huffed in annoyance. "You were practically screwing her in the middle of the sidewalk!"

_[Oh, believe me, that was nothing but screwing with her head. First off, when I eventually get that little vixen in my bed I will not be 'screwing' her. I'll be making sweet, tender love to that blue-eyed angel. Not that I wouldn't mind fucking her on occasion, or having her fuck me, but the first time is for emotions, not hormones. Secondly, you should be thanking me! I've got her all primed and at least considering the possibility of being with us. After that decision you made this morning I figured I had nothing left to lose. If you were going to give up to that jackass Jake without even fighting for her I figured I'd roll the dice and take my chances. What's the worst thing that could happen?]_

"What's the worst thing? How about losing her friendship…forever!" Lilly screamed.

_[Weren't you going to do that anyway? You were talking about leaving her and heading off somewhere else for college so that you could 'rip the bandage off in one quick swipe' rather than having to feel the lingering pain of staying with her. I saw my chance and I took it. I don't regret a damn thing!]_

"But…but…if Jake makes her happy…" Lilly said tearfully.

_[Do you honestly believe that that asshole is going to make her happy? You know for a fact he's eventually going to cheat on her again. If you go away who's going to be there for her to help her pick up the pieces again? Who's going to stand beside her and help her mend her broken heart? Her father? Sure, he'll do what he can, but he's not you! She'll feel all alone and you know it. What happens then?]_

Lilly sighed, unable to maintain her anger in the face of the truths being thrust at her. Lola was right. Jake would cheat again and break Miley's heart. And if she wasn't there for her she didn't know what Miley would do. Sure, she'd get over it eventually, but only after how many weeks, months, or even years of pain and heartbreak. She might even quit being Hannah which would kill her. She'd pulled through the last time it had happened, but only because Lilly had been there for her. If she had to go through that all alone…

"Still," Lilly sighed, "you really shouldn't have pushed me out of the way."

_[You're right, and I'm sorry about that,]_ Lola apologized softly, _[however,]_ she grinned, _[you have to admit that it was fun. Did you hear Miley moan when I played with her tongue and lips? She even said 'Miiiley liiike.']_ she imitated the taller girl almost perfectly which got Lilly giggling.

"She did seem to be enjoying it quite a bit," Lilly grinned. "I wouldn't be surprised if she isn't out there having to change her panties," she laughed. "Speaking of which," she blushed as she got off the bed and began rummaging in a drawer for a clean pair for herself. Lola hadn't been entirely immune herself to the lustful feelings she was arousing in the brunette.

_[Oh, that was just soooo hot!]_ Lola giggled. _[From the sound of her voice I'll bet she was just about ready to…]_

"Enough wench," Lilly laughed as she unzipped her jean shorts and pulled them off. Sure enough she'd soaked through her own panties at Lola's seductive actions. "Look who's talking! Hmm, maybe a shower first," she chuckled, turning away from the dresser and going to the closet to grab her robe.

Feeling refreshed after her long – and very satisfying thanks to Lola – shower and putting on a clean set of clothes, Lilly skipped down the stairs in a much better mood than the last time she'd come down them earlier that morning. And just like this morning Miley was there waiting for her in the great room with the television turned on and the sound down low. The blue-eyed songstress was slumped on the couch with her feet stretched out in front of her, a position that she rarely used when she was happy, so Lilly figured something was wrong.

_[Maybe we were a bit _too_ obvious earlier and she can't handle it,]_ Lola said contritely and in a worried voice.

"Don't jump to conclusions quite yet," Lilly murmured. "It could just be that something happened." Lilly looked into the kitchen where Robbie Ray and Lori were sitting at the table, their eyes focused first on Miley, then on Lilly, then on Miley again, and then back to Lilly. The blonde shrugged her shoulders and nodded to where Miley sat. Both adults shook their heads to indicate they didn't know anything. 'You OK' Robbie mouthed to her and she nodded her head but then shrugged her shoulders again, not really sure just how okay she was going to be in the next few minutes. She took the last two steps down the stairs and walked slowly into the great room to stand behind her best friend. She took a deep breath and then plunged on ahead, hoping her spontaneity would keep her safe for just one more day.

She knelt down behind the sofa and put her arms around Miley's shoulders, clutching her wrist in her hand to keep herself from chickening out. Then she felt Miley stiffen, and not from surprise, and her heart dropped into the pit of her stomach. The words, when they came, were soft. Such painful words should never feel so soft.

"I've given it some thought, Lilly. My life is complicated enough as it is. The last thing I need right now is more drama."

Miley felt the arms around her loosen. The wrist slipped from the grasp of those slender fingers and the arms fell away. A loud 'thunk' shook the floor followed by the crash of shattering glass.

"Lilly!" Lori screamed as she jumped from her chair so quickly that it hit and slid along the floor behind her.

"Lils?" Robbie yelled as he followed the faster nurse to where Lilly had fallen, hitting her head on the leg of one of the tables and knocking over a vase to shatter on the floor.

Miley leapt up from her seat on the couch and spun to see her best friend splayed out on the floor like a rag doll or a marionette that has had its strings cut. Her normally sparkling green eyes were closed and it looked as if she was barely breathing. "LILLY!" she screamed in shock and guilt.

Lilly's eyes snapped open at Miley's voice and her head slowly arose to look straight into Miley's eyes. The look on that sweet, beautiful, normally love-filled face could have killed her where she stood. Before Lilly could say a word Lori was there and lifting her to sit with her back against the nurse's chest while her experienced fingers felt along the base of her skull.

"Shit! Fuck! That hurts!" Lilly yelled when Lori hit a sensitive spot on the back of her head.

"You've got a nasty bump forming there, certainly a minor concussion, but no break in the skin," Lori sighed with relief. "You'll have an extremely powerful headache in just a bit. Robbie," she said, turning to the slumping man behind her. "Can you get some ibuprofen for her and a glass of water?"

"I think we've got a bigger problem," Robbie said, his face paling as he saw fear strike Lilly's eyes.

"Oh, shit," Lilly whispered. "Lilly? Lilly sweetie? Can you hear me love?" she spoke as if to a small child. "Stop crying baby. It'll be okay, I promise. I swear it will be okay," she turned and glared at Miley again. "This is all _your_ fault!" she spat before going back to trying to coax a totally destroyed Lilly Truscott from wherever it was that she was hiding.

"Lola?" Robbie asked quietly.

"Yeah," Lola spat out again, "but introductions can wait," then she melted into a puddle of fear. "I can't find Lilly, Mr. S!" she said in a quavering voice. "She's hiding from me. I can hear her crying, but I can't find her."

Lori briefly froze in shock and stared at the girl in her arms. In searching that desperate face she saw traces of the girl she knew as Lilly, but the vast majority of the expressions were almost foreign to her. It was only then that she realized what Robbie had already deduced. She looked into those tear-filled eyes and asked, "Lola, honey, what happened?"

Lola looked back at a completely confused and frightened Miley. "Ask her!" she said angrily. "Little miss 'I don't need this kind of drama' whose life is so damned 'complicated' that she can't give even one little bit of consideration to the girl whose been in love with her for years!"

"Years?!" Miley squeaked.

"Yes, years you selfish bitch," Lola said quietly but with enough venom to have the brunette shrinking from her. "Lilly might not remember exactly when I was born, but _I_ certainly do. It was on the morning of her fifteenth birthday and a certain someone gave her a gold, heart-shaped locket." She reached into the neck of her t-shirt and pulled the necklace out for everyone to see. She opened the locket to look upon the smiling faces pictured there. "It was the morning that she realized that she was in love with one Miley Ray Stewart. It was also the morning that she denied that truth so vehemently, afraid of how Miley would feel about that love, that a separate entity, one that _wasn't_ afraid of that forbidden love, came into being. That morning Lola Luftnagle was born and Lilly Truscott began to die."

"Die!?" Robbie and Lori exclaimed simultaneously.

"Not literally," Lola shrugged, "she wasn't physically ill. But spiritually? Emotionally? Yes, she started dying. I'm part of Lilly's soul…the part that isn't afraid of loving another girl. The part that isn't afraid to say that she loves Miley," she said, turning back to look at the girl of her dreams once again. Instead of anger, this time all she felt was pain and regret. "I'd finally gotten her around to being willing to accept it herself…and even start to show it publically," her eyes turned into twin dark green agates the same color as a violent, storm-tossed sea, "until someone decided that she didn't have time for her anymore…didn't care enough about her anymore. Rejected her. It broke her," she said more softly, more gently, looking back at the concerned eyes of the two adults. "And now she's hiding and I can't find her. If I can't find her and bring her back…" The rest of that statement didn't need to be spoken out loud. If Lola couldn't find her and bring her back, Lilly Truscott, the girl they'd known and loved for so long, would die for real, leaving only Lola.

Kneeling down beside her, Robbie Ray asked, "What can we do Lola?" with such tenderness and concern she couldn't help it when the tears started forming. "You know how much we love her…love both of you," he smiled at the now crying teen. "How can we help bring her back to us?"

"Hell if I know," Lola replied quietly as the tears continued to fall from the corners of her eyes.

"Can she hear us?" Lori asked.

"She should be able to. I always could. I could see what Lilly saw and hear what she heard. I could even focus on different things than she was looking at or listening to. We had kind of an agreement. Neither of us would push the other out of the way when one was in control. The one in control would have to willingly give up her place and allow the other to take over." She sniffed loudly. "I kind of broke the rule this morning," she told them while looking up again at a still somewhat cowering Miley. "I wanted some cotton candy. Then I couldn't help but take the opportunity to flirt with the girl I loved."

"That was you!?" Miley gasped.

"Who else darling?" Lola laughed sadly. "I'm the only one willing to really put it out there for you to see. Lilly was willing to let you go. This morning, before she came back from her run, she'd talked herself into going away to a different college next year just so that you could have the space you needed to find someone that would love you the way you should be loved; someone better than that Jake-ass who will only treat you like his temporary plaything and then throw you away when he gets tired of you or finds someone else that just happens to be convenient."

"So she _was_ going to leave me?" Miley asked fearfully.

"Yes, until I did what I did on our 'date'," she smirked. She held up the locket again for them to see. "She hasn't taken this off for three years…not until this morning after she decided to leave. But after our date I talked her into putting it back on and giving it one more chance. Guess that wasn't such a hot idea," she fumed angrily as fire arose in her eyes.

"I DIDN'T KNOW!" Miley wailed.

"Oh, you knew. You knew _just_ how she felt about you, but you were too scared to admit that you might be in love with her as well! You were too frightened to accept the love that was being so freely offered to you. I was right all along! Anything that's really worth having, truly precious, like someone's love, needs to be worked for, fought for, not handed to you on a silver platter. Lilly freely handed you her heart and you _crushed_ it!"

"I WAS SCARED!" Miley sobbed, tears of her own finally flowing uncontrolled down her cheeks. "What would happen if someone found out? What would happen if people found out Hannah was queer?! My career would be over!"

"So Hannah was more important than your best friend? More important than the girl that loved you? More important than being happy with the one you know for a fact that you love but are too afraid to accept?"

"NO! I mean yes, I mean…Oh, I don't know what I want! I just know I don't want to lose Lilly! I can't live without her!" she cried out.

"Then tell her that," Lola whispered. "Tell her you love her. Tell her that you are in love with her and want her to be by your side for all eternity. Tell her that there's nothing and no one more important to you than she is…because that's the way she feels about you Miley Stewart. That's how much she loves you."

Miley cried. She sobbed. She wept. She railed against her fear. And the three others in the room watched her do it.

Robbie's heart went out to his little baby, but he too was afraid. Not that she was gay. Not that she might have to live with the prejudice and pain others might cause her just because she happened to love someone of the same gender, although that was there too. No, he was afraid that she'd have to go through life without the one she truly loved.

He knew what it was like to lose forever the one that meant the most to him. Susan had been his life, the other half of his soul, and when he lost her there was only one thing that kept him going: his love for the children that she had given him. He could have given in to the depths of despair that blanketed him every night he went to a cold and lonely bed, but he knew that she wouldn't accept that from him. He knew that she expected him to go on with his life…not for her, but for the little ones they'd brought into this world. They needed him to be strong for them. _She_ needed him to be strong for them. And so he'd pulled himself up from those depths and done what was necessary to ensure that her love would forever live in the hearts of her children.

And now he was afraid for a little girl who cried in total darkness without the warmth of those that loved her and cared for her. He was afraid for a young woman that had come to mean as much to him as either of his own children. He was afraid that he would end up losing a child just as he'd lost his own wife. Once again he had to be strong, not for himself, but for his baby and for the girl she loved.

"Call to her Miley," he whispered. "She's lost and alone. She thinks she's lost the one thing in her life that meant anything to her. Your love and friendship. Has she? Has she lost the one person that means more to her than her own life?"

"NO!" Miley screamed. She'd been so scared to admit to herself the feelings that were flowing through her. She'd been so scared about potentially losing her ability to be Hannah. But neither of those things was as frightening, as soul wrenching, as the thought of losing Lilly. "LILLIAN TRUSCOTT…I LOVE YOU!" Miley screamed as loud as she could. "I love you," she said more quietly as she jumped over the back of the sofa to land in front of Lola. She grabbed the blonde's hands and looked into those green eyes, not for the girl that looked out at her now, but for the one that she so desperately wanted to see.

"Call to her," Lola begged her.

"I love you, Lilly," Miley cried. "Please, don't leave me. Please don't leave me alone! I couldn't live without you," she cried softly. "I'm sorry that I'm so weak. I never should have said those things. I didn't mean them. I was just scared. I love you, Lilly. I love you. Please come back to me. Please Lilly. Please!" she sobbed.

Lola's lips formed a grin and her eyes sparkled for a moment, then those went away to be replaced by a sudden onslaught of more tears. Fear filled those eyes and those lips trembled heavily before they slowly opened.

"D-do y-you m-mean th-that?" Lilly asked, almost too afraid of the answer she expected to hear despite the words that had drawn her back from the darkness. "D-do you r-really mean that?"

"I really, really mean it Lilly," Miley wept, looking up and seeing those eyes that she cared so much about. "I love you. I love you so much it frightens me, but it frightens me more that you might leave me."

The eyes changed again briefly. "Prove it," Lola told her softly before disappearing once again.

"P-prove it?" Lilly squeaked. "How?"

But Miley knew what Lola meant. Miley knew what Lola wanted her to do. Luckily it was something she was more than willing to give. So as Lilly's eyes widened in surprise, and with her father and his girlfriend looking on, she leaned forward and pressed her lips tenderly against those of the girl she had finally realized she loved more than anything and anyone else in the world.

Lilly's lips were just as soft as she'd imagined them to be. Her hands somehow found their way behind Lilly's neck and into her hair. She pulled the girl closer, deepening the kiss that Lilly finally, after her initial shock, started to return just as passionately. Miley felt Lilly's arms wrap around her waist and she smiled into the kiss as the other girl pulled her close. Lilly's lips weren't hard and demanding the way Jesse's or Jake's were. No, Lilly's kiss was like a cool glass of water on a hot summer day. It was refreshing and giving. So unlike a boy's. And her hands weren't running everywhere trying to go places they shouldn't. Instead they were gentle; caressing her rather than pawing at her. Lilly's kiss was like night and day, heaven and hell, when compared to all the kisses from boys that she'd ever experienced. The only way to describe it was pure bliss.

It was almost a full minute before they broke apart, laying their foreheads against each other as they sucked in air.

"Th-that was…" Lilly stammered.

"Perfect," Miley grinned. "Now I finally know what they mean about fireworks."

"Y-yeah," Lilly smiled.

"None of the kisses I've shared with Jake or Jesse were as good…or felt as right."

"I thought you 'might be in love' with Jake," Lilly said worriedly but felt Miley's head shake.

"No. Not anymore. Not now that I know what _real_ love feels like. I might have had a crush on him, or even maybe lusted a little after him…"

"Eeep?"

Miley chuckled. "But nowhere near as much as I'm currently wanting one Lillian Truscott," she smirked. "Or, if she'll do what she did earlier," she giggled, "maybe Lola."

"That was hot as hell, wasn't it?" Lilly laughed softly. "I think I'll get her to teach me that little trick."

"Oh, please!" Miley laughed, finally leaning back to look into those deep green eyes to see the sparkling mirth that she hadn't seen in so long. "Let's have lots and lots of practice," she smirked.

A very masculine cough interrupted the two of them along with a feminine chuckle.

"While I'm extremely happy that Lilly's back, I think maybe you two had better slow that horse down from a gallop to a walk," Robbie said sternly in his 'father' voice, but his eyes were laughing.

"Ah, Robbie, at least let them trot," Lori laughed.

"Yeah, what she said," Miley pouted and used her best puppy dog eyes. When Lilly turned to him with the same expression and said, "Pleeaassee?" he knew he was lost.

"Fine, a trot," he huffed and crossed his arms over his chest, "but with a lead line!" he growled.

Lilly's eyes widened and then a snarky smile graced her lips. "Oohh, kinky Mr. S," Lola chuckled lowly. "How about a foursome?"

"W-wait! That wasn't what I meant!" he exclaimed.

The only response he received was their laughter.

_Epilogue_

It had been an awfully long two days and both Miley and Lilly quickly fell asleep in each other's arms on the great room couch. Lori and Robbie stood over them, arms around each other's waist as they happily watched their two girls sleeping.

That is until Lilly's eyes popped open and a grin suffused her lips.

"Lola?" Robbie asked the spark in those green eyes.

"Seems like it," Lola snickered. "I honestly thought I'd disappear when Lilly and Miley finally admitted their love for each other. Guess I was wrong."

"From what I've seen and heard, I think you are a pretty durn important person to Lilly yourself," he smiled at her. "Can't say I'm sorry neither."

"That's a double negative," Lola smirked, "but I'm happy to hear it anyway."

"You're not going to cause them any trouble, are you?" Lori asked worriedly, but Lola just smiled.

"Nah. Didn't I tell you? I love Miley just as much as Lilly does. And I'm kind of partial to Lilly as well," she grinned. "She's a feisty one she is. We get along just fine."

"I'm glad to hear that," Lori sighed.

"I may not be around as much…maybe mostly when Hannah's on tour. Now that's one hot chick!" She grinned again. "Besides, I can't _wait_ to meet Avis."

"Avis?" Robbie and Lori both exclaimed in surprise.

Lola just laughed.

* * *

A/N: I hope you enjoyed the story. As always, your reviews/comments would be greatly appreciated.

Take care,

CX


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